Planet Fitness to Open Second Eugene Location at Former Coburg Road Rite Aid

Construction activity at the former Rite Aid at 1560 Coburg Road confirmed what northeast Eugene neighbors had been speculating: Planet Fitness is moving in. The national fitness chain claimed the large vacant space inside Sheldon Plaza, and its corporate website lists a "coming soon" club at the Coburg Road address, making it the company's second Eugene location alongside its established West 11th Avenue club.

The conversion turns one of northeast Eugene's most visible vacant storefronts into a high-volume fitness facility. Planet Fitness builds its business model around low-cost monthly memberships and high membership volume, offering amenities including training equipment, locker rooms, and tiered PF Black Card access. The chain markets itself on a "Judgement Free Zone" philosophy, a positioning that has fueled its expansion into former big-box retail spaces across the country.

That national trend arrived at Sheldon Plaza, a neighborhood shopping center serving a dense residential corridor in northeast Eugene. Rite Aid's departure left a substantial footprint that sat vacant before Planet Fitness committed to the space. The move mirrors what has played out in retail markets elsewhere, where drugstore closures opened large, accessible storefronts that fitness chains, discount grocers, and service providers moved quickly to absorb.

An early-join promotion framed as "pay nothing until Coburg opens" points to a targeted spring or summer 2026 opening. Exact dates and job totals had not been confirmed as of early April, though the buildout will follow standard tenant improvement and permitting steps with the City of Eugene. Operations, maintenance, and front-desk roles are typical at a Planet Fitness opening, with the chain generally relying on a mix of full- and part-time employees.

For Sheldon Plaza's existing tenants, a Planet Fitness anchor can generate the kind of consistent daily foot traffic that benefits neighboring coffee shops, restaurants, and grocery tenants. For the independent gyms and boutique fitness studios already operating across northeast Eugene, it introduces a well-capitalized competitor with deeply discounted membership pricing.

The West 11th Avenue club has been the chain's only Eugene presence. The Coburg Road location extends Planet Fitness into a part of the city with a large residential population and limited dedicated fitness infrastructure at that price point.